'Precarious' global rebound expected in late 2019: IMF's Lagarde

Global growth in 2019 should be even slower than previously expected but a "precarious" rebound later this year is likely, the head of the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday.

In a speech ahead of next week's spring meetings in Washington with the World Bank, IMF chief Christine Lagarde said the world economy was vulnerable to shocks from Brexit, high debt levels and trade tensions, as well as unease on financial markets.

"The expected rebound in global growth this year is precarious," she said in an address at the US Chamber of Commerce. "This is a delicate moment that requires us to handle with care."
"We had this synchronized acceleration of growth a couple of years ago. Now it's synchronized deceleration," Lagarde said following her speech. "I don't want to be overly dramatic, because we don't see a recession."
"I am not saying that we currently have a monopoly problem," she said. "But I am saying that we should take appropriate measures so that it does not become a problem."